


Opportunity

by spike_spiegels



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-08
Updated: 2017-09-08
Packaged: 2018-12-25 11:49:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12035277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spike_spiegels/pseuds/spike_spiegels
Summary: Mikasa learns to make the most of a CPR class (with the help of Hange).





	Opportunity

"Ms. Ackerman?"

Mikasa tore her gaze away from the dishes she was currently washing, blinking in surprise when her eyes fell on a certain eccentric squad leader. It was definitely strange, meeting Hange somewhere titans weren't lurking about. The most Mikasa had seen of the brunette were in the short moments before she locked herself in her study, no doubt reviewing whatever evidence it was she had collected over the years. Besides, today was a rare pause in the ongoing battle, a day where their superiors met to discuss whatever matters there were to examine and left the new recruits to do chores. Sure, it wasn't what you'd consider a break, but anything was better than going out on yet another expedition.

"Squad leader? What can I do for you?" Mikasa murmured, drying off her hands.

Hange adjusted her glasses, pushing the frames further up the bridge of her nose. "I'm here to excuse you from your duties. Come with me."

The brunette motioned for her to follow, stepping out into the hallway before Mikasa had a chance to respond. Quickly, she turned off the faucet and rushed after her, falling into step beside the squad leader. The air was thick around them, as if warning Mikasa that she was getting into something she wouldn't enjoy.

"Where are we going?" As the words fell from her lips, she knew it was too late to turn back.

"It has come to our attention that you haven't finished your medical training." Hange stated simply, turning the corner, Mikasa hot on her heels. "We can't have an unprepared soldier on the front lines, now can we? Today is a good opportunity to get it out of the way. It'll only take a few minutes."

Medical training? The thought took her back to her trainee days, learning how to wrap a wound decently and what medication to apply. The whole idea seemed stupid to her, though she would never say that aloud. Why did they need to learn such things? It wouldn't matter in the end, considering titans never leave much of anything behind to tend to. Most soldiers ended up in the bubbling acids of a titan's stomach or in so many pieces that a simple bandage and antiseptic wouldn't do.

The squeaking of a rusted door hinge dragged her away from her thoughts. Hange held the door open, grinning that hyper enthusiastic grin that could only belong to someone with a few screws loose. With an uneven breath, Mikasa entered the room, unsure what lay ahead.

"Hm, looks like I beat him here."

She turned, looking to Hange with an eyebrow raised in question. "Pardon?"

"Levi. I beat him here." She clarified, her focused stare unwavering.

Mikasa was completely lost. "Why does Captain Levi need to be here?" Didn't he have something better to do? Maybe another cleaning spree or drinking tea in that weird way of his or something? Having to attend a medical training session seemed...Unlike him. Not to mention creepy.

"Well, he won't be staying for the training." There was an audible sigh of relief provided by Mikasa. "Erwin just sent him to retrieve another recruit. Like you, he hasn't finished his medical practice."

Mikasa couldn't help but feel hesitant about the fact she'd be training beside someone else. Sure, they would keep her company in the presence of the eccentric that is Hange, but it would be unpleasant if it were someone she couldn't get along with. She could only hope it was someone she could tolerate.

Levi marched in, forcefully crashing her train of thought, closely followed by the shivering mess Mikasa recognized as Jean. His hair was still dripping wet and his clothes stuck to his body, the angular features of his face arranged to express just how uncomfortable he was. And, to be honest, he looked pretty damn uncomfortable.

"I got the brat. I did you a favor and cleaned him up for you. He smelled like horse shit when I found him." With that, the Captain excused himself, swinging the door shut behind him. Suddenly she was thankful that it was Hange that had come to fetch her. She couldn't begin imagine what Levi was capable of doing.

"Ah, Kirstein, I'm glad you've joined us. Have a seat while I set things up."

He gave a curt nod and took a seat beside Mikasa. She eyed him curiously for a few minutes before he turned to look at her, his cheeks dusted pink. She couldn't tell if he was blushing or developing a fever.

"What happened to you?"

"Um...The Captain made me shower after working the horse stables all day. I don't blame him, but being forced into a shower at sword point is not an experience I would recommend." Jean shook his head, small droplets of water flying from his drenched hair.

"Alrighty, let's get this thing started." Hange announced. "The both of you are missing the final lesson in the medical class, which is CPR. I'll make this quick and the you'll be able to return to whatever it was you were doing."

Both recruits gave an unimpressed sigh as Hange turned to her chalkboard, sketching a stick figure laying on the ground with x's for eyes, emphasizing that it was dead. "First things first, what do you do if a squad member stops breathing? Ackerman?"

"Begin chest compressions." Wasn't that just common sense?

Hange gave her a short applause before turning back to her drawing. "That's right. Make sure to place your hands at the center of their chest and push down two inches. You should be able to do this at the rate of at least one hundred per minute or faster than once per second."

By the time she faced them, she had drawn another stick figure kneeling beside the first one, both hands pressed to their upper body. "After compressions, what do you do? Kirstein, your turn."

Mikasa looked to Jean expectantly only to find that his gaze was already fixated on her. She blinked, wondering if she had caught him daydreaming.

"Kirstein. I asked you a question."

Jean snapped out of his daze, his eyes darting from Mikasa to Hange with unmatched speed. "Oh, um, sorry." Maybe he really was sick. His cheeks were a deep red at this point and he couldn't speak without stumbling over his words. Perhaps that shower did more harm than good.

"Okay then, Ackerman, what's the answer?"

She was quick to respond. "Tilt their head back and lift the chin."

The squad leader nodded, continuing to add the steps to her example. "Yes. I'm glad to hear someone is paying attention." Mikasa could see Jean flinch from the corner of her eye. "Pinch the nose and cover the mouth with yours and blow until you see the chest rise. Give two breaths and if they don't respond, start compressions again."

She placed the chalk down and examined her two students. "That's the basics."

Mikasa and Jean gave a collective breath of relief. It was just as she promised, quick and painless. Yes, it was a waste of time and any soldier in their right mind would know how to do this, but it was over and done with.

"Now, let's practice."

Jean tilted his head in question. "Practice? With what?"

In one swift movement, Hange swept the poor teen off his feet, his back hitting the ground with a dull thump. Mikasa could hear all the profanities spilling from that sailor's mouth of his, but the squad leader didn't seem to mind, hovering over his trembling body with a smile that stretched from ear to ear.

"With your partner of course."

Those five words were enough to freeze whatever blood had been flowing in Mikasa's veins. She watched Hange, waiting for a "just kidding" or "joke's on you," but it never came. The brunette's hazel gaze fell on Mikasa, eyes narrowed behind those frames eagerly.

"What are you waiting for?" It was more of a command than a question. "It's just to get an idea of it, so don't go all out with the compressions and only thirty of them. We don't want any broken ribs."

_This woman really has lost it_. Mikasa thought as she kneeled beside the still writhing Jean. As crazy as this idea of practice may be, she needed to get it over with. It was like tearing off a band aid. She could practically feel the awkward in the air as she brought her hands to the center of her partner's chest.

"What are you doing?" His body stiffened at her touch, his twisting about in pain coming to a complete halt the moment her palms met his chest.

"Be quiet. You're suppose to be dead." She reminded curtly.

She watched him swallow as he met her eyes, grey clashing with amber before leaning back as still as he could manage. _Here we go_. Mikasa began the chest compressions gently, counting silently as she pressed on. _Twenty-eight, twenty-nine...Thirty_. She reached up and tilted his head back slowly, placing one hand on his chin.

"W-Wait! You don't have to-" Mikasa placed a finger to his lips, silencing him immediately.

She gave him the most assuring look she could muster. "It's just practice, it's okay. Just close your eyes."

He did as he was told, shutting them tight. Mikasa leaned over him, lightly pinching his nose as she brought her mouth to his. Although she might not have been as obvious as Jean about it, she was definitely nervous. She'd never kissed a guy before, and though this didn't count as kissing per say, it still felt like an intimate thing.

_Just blow into his mouth, it's not that hard. You're overthinking it._ She reminded herself. But it didn't help the shiver that ran down her spine.

_ My lips are going to touch Jean's. _

Stop it. Stop thinking like that. She felt a blush spread across her cheeks with every centimeter she closed between them. _Thank god he's closing his eyes._

As brisk as she could, Mikasa parted his lips, blew ( _one, two_ ) and hastily moved away, pulling her scarf high enough to cover most of her face. _Why were you so scared? It's just Jean._

Hange gave her a thumbs up. "Good job. Now, switch roles and we're done."

Jean shot up from his place on the floor, his cheeks as red as ever and eyes wide in disbelief. "We have to do that again?!"

"Yes, that's an order."

Jean opened his mouth to argue, but Mikasa just assumed the laying down position, doing everything in her power to regain her composure. "It's no use, Jean. Just make it quick." She surprised herself with how firm the words sounded, considering her mind was still reeling from her try at CPR.

With an anxious huff, Jean complied, taking his place beside Mikasa's body. She felt the pressure on her chest as his hands found their position. The expression on his face was hesitant, like he was trying incredibly hard to be mindful of where he was touching. She found it rather adorable. Jean cast her one last tentative glance before beginning the compressions. They were soft, a lot softer than what she had done on him. He was trying his hardest to be gentle, that much was evident. She counted his breaths all the way up to thirty.

His slender fingers brushed her chin, taking hold as he tilted her head back. Mikasa could feel him trembling, but she couldn't blame him. This whole CPR lesson had turned into an awkward mess pretty quickly, neither of them properly prepared for such a change of course. Despite her eyes being closed, she could feel Jean's face hovering shyly over hers, his shallow breaths warm on her cheeks. He pinched her nose softly and brought his lips to hers.

Having Jean give her CPR was an entirely different experience from the other way around. He tasted like the coffee they hard earlier that morning, which she was thankful for since there were much worse things his breath could've tasted like. But, there was something so...Sweet about him. He was slow and sure about everything. It was very unlike him to say the least, being the impatient, sailor mouthed soldier he was. If anything, it surprised her.

Jean's mouth lingered a little longer than the two breaths that were instructed, but Mikasa didn't mind. It was a new side of him and she couldn't help but want to see more. Before she knew it, it was over.

"Hm, you're a little slow on the breaths, but otherwise it was fine. Just remember, in a real situation the compressions need to be around two inches. Good work you two, you may return to your duties." Hange said, stepping out of the room. "Your records will be updated shortly." Without another word, she clicked the door shut.

Mikasa sat up, straightening out her scarf and eyeing Jean carefully. He averted his gaze to the apparently oh-so-interesting floorboards. All feelings of hesitation or embarrassment seemed to disappear as Mikasa examined the brunet. What was left was one nagging sensation of curiosity.

"You know, out of all the people I could have done this with...I'm glad it was with you."

Jean blinked bewilderment, sputtering a mess of strange noises and incoherent gibberish. He was able to settle on a single word. "R-Really?"

"Yes." She informed him simply. "I didn't know this soft, gentle side of you existed. It makes me feel...Special that I got to see something that rare. Thank you."

He gave a small chuckle. "Well, I guess I'll take that as a compliment."

"Oh, and can I try one more thing?"

"Um, sure. What is it?"

Mikasa closed the distance between their lips, stifling Jean's surprised gasp. Like this, she could feel the smoothness of his lips, although a bit cold. But that didn't stop the sparks the kiss sent coursing through her veins and the warmth that overtook her body. Even when they parted for air, the addictive burning sensation seemed ever present.

"W-What-"

"Sorry, I just figured that since we kinda already kissed each other, we might as well do it correctly."

"Fair enough."

-

As Hange clicked the door shut, she didn't even need to look up to know Levi was standing behind her.

"Was that really necessary?"

"Hm?" Hange hummed, turning to face him.

"Making those brats practice on each other. Was it necessary?"

Hange thought about it for a moment before coming to her conclusion. "No, we have dummies for that kind of stuff. It's just...You should've seen the way he looked at her." She shrugged. "There's no harm in helping him out right? You gotta seize every opportunity."

Levi rolled his eyes in response. "You're a scientist, not a love doctor. There's no point in wasting your time on petty things like that."

The brunette giggled, elbowing the shorter man playfully. "Yeah, yeah...Whatever you say, Levi."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
